Craighead County Civil Court Records

Craighead County civil court records are maintained by Circuit Clerk David Vaughn at two courthouse locations in Jonesboro and Lake City. This page covers how to search case filings online, request copies in person, and find civil court documents for matters filed in Craighead County's 2nd Judicial Circuit, whether you need recent records from the state portal or older files stored at the courthouse.

Craighead County Circuit Clerk Office

Circuit Clerk David Vaughn serves as the official custodian of civil court records for Craighead County. The main office is at 511 South Main Street, Suite 200, Jonesboro, AR 72401. The phone number there is (870) 933-4530. A second location serves Lake City at 107 Cobean Boulevard, Lake City, AR 72437, phone (870) 237-4342. Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Fax for the Jonesboro office is (870) 933-4534; Lake City fax is (870) 237-8174.

The Circuit Clerk handles filings, dockets, orders, judgments, and case files from the civil, criminal, domestic relations, and juvenile divisions of Craighead County Circuit Court. The Clerk also functions as ex-officio recorder for the county, meaning deeds, mortgages, liens, surety bonds, and other property-related instruments are recorded here. If you need a certified copy of a civil judgment or want to check the status of a pending case, the Circuit Clerk's office is your primary contact. Staff can also issue summons and warrants and maintain jury commission records on behalf of the court.

Craighead County is one of a small number of Arkansas counties with two county seats. The Jonesboro courthouse serves the western district while the Lake City courthouse covers the eastern district. When requesting records, it helps to know which district your case was filed in so staff can direct you to the right location quickly.

Search Craighead County Civil Court Records Online

The Arkansas Judiciary operates Search ARCourts, a free public portal for civil case information statewide. Craighead County records filed after August 1, 2018 are available through this system. You can search by party name, business name, or case number at no cost. Filter results by court, case type, party type, or case status to narrow your search.

Records created before January 1, 2009 may have confidential details redacted when accessed online under Administrative Order No. 19. Records from before the county joined the Contexte case management system may not appear in the online portal at all. For those older files, you will need to visit the courthouse in person or submit a written request. Electronic filing in Craighead County began June 1, 2016, so cases filed around that time or later are more likely to be fully available online. Court records going back to January 1, 2009 are also accessible through the Public Court Connect system.

If you cannot find a case through Search ARCourts, try the CourtConnect portal maintained by the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts. You can also call the AOC help desk at (501) 410-1900, option 1, or toll-free at (866) 823-5778. Email support is available at acap.help@arcourts.gov. Note: Not all Craighead County records are entered into the statewide system; contact the Circuit Clerk at (870) 933-4530 if you cannot locate a specific case online.

Types of Civil Cases Filed in Craighead County

Craighead County Circuit Court handles civil matters through its civil division, which was established by Amendment 80 of the Arkansas Constitution in 2001. Civil cases here include negligence claims, bad faith actions, fraud, malpractice, product liability, breach of contract, foreclosures, quiet title actions, injunctions, partition suits, condemnation proceedings, replevin, declaratory judgments, unlawful detainer, and foreign judgment registration. The civil division also processes name changes and administrative appeals.

The District Court in Craighead County handles civil matters up to $25,000, including negligence, fraud, malpractice, product liability, foreclosure, quiet title, unlawful detainer, name changes, and foreign judgments, as well as small claims cases up to $5,000. The District Court is located at 410 W. Washington, Jonesboro, AR 72401, phone (870) 933-4508. District court civil records are separate from circuit court filings, though both are considered public under Arkansas law.

Other divisions of the circuit court produce records that overlap with civil matters. The domestic relations division handles divorce, child custody, child support, and paternity. The probate division covers wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. All of these are civil proceedings. Their records are maintained by the same Circuit Clerk's office. If you are searching for a divorce decree or an estate filing, you request those through the Circuit Clerk just as you would any civil case file.

Note: Juvenile records in Craighead County are not open to the public. Adoption records are also confidential. Sealed and expunged records do not appear in searches and cannot be obtained through a standard request.

How to Get Copies of Craighead County Court Records

You can get civil court records from Craighead County three ways: in person, by mail, or online. Each has different trade-offs in terms of speed and ease.

In person is the most direct option. Go to the Jonesboro courthouse at 511 South Main Street, Suite 200, during business hours. Staff can locate the file, make copies at $0.25 per page, and provide certified copies for $5.00 each. Bring photo ID and any case information you have, such as the party names, case number, or approximate year the case was filed. The older the record, the more details you will need to give staff so they can locate the file. For records in the eastern district, visit the Lake City office at 107 Cobean Boulevard.

Mail requests work if you cannot make the trip. Write to the Circuit Clerk at 511 South Main Street, Suite 200, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Include party names, case number if available, the year filed, and a check or money order for copy fees. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copies mailed back to you. Call (870) 933-4530 to check current processing times before you send your request.

Arkansas Public Records Law and Court Access

Most civil court records in Arkansas are public by law. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq., gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records, which includes court filings. You do not need to provide a reason for your request or show a personal connection to the case.

Administrative Order No. 19 from the Arkansas Supreme Court sets the rules for electronic access to court records. Under this order, records are presumed public unless a specific statute or court order restricts access. The order also governs how older records are handled when they are digitized and posted online. Some personal identifiers may be redacted from records created before 2009 when those records are placed into an electronic system. Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-901 et seq. covers court records access more specifically and provides the legal framework that circuit clerks use when responding to requests. Craighead County Circuit Clerk David Vaughn and his staff follow these rules when providing access to civil court records.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

If you need help navigating a civil case in Craighead County, several resources are available at no cost. Legal Services of Arkansas provides free civil legal help to income-eligible residents, including people in Craighead County. They can assist with housing disputes, family law matters, and other civil issues. The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation supports legal aid programs statewide and can connect you with additional help if you are representing yourself in a civil proceeding.

The Arkansas Judiciary's online services page has forms and instructions for common civil proceedings. Self-represented litigants can find guidance there for filing civil cases, responding to complaints, and understanding court procedures. The circuit courts information page on the Arkansas Judiciary website also explains how circuit courts are organized and what kinds of cases each division handles.

Note: The Administrative Office of the Courts offers support for the CourtConnect and Search ARCourts systems by phone and email. If you have trouble accessing Craighead County records online, call (501) 410-1900 or email acap.help@arcourts.gov.

Nearby Counties

Craighead County sits in northeastern Arkansas in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. Surrounding counties each have their own Circuit Clerk and civil records system.

• Greene County - to the north
• Mississippi County - to the northeast
• Poinsett County - to the east
• Cross County - to the south
• Lawrence County - to the northwest
• Sharp County - to the west